Bennet stood with a handful of unemployed Coloradans, and small business owners saying they can’t get credit to expand and hire, on the sidewalk next to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.

“We’re not talking about welfare,” Bennet said. “We’re talking about people who lost their jobs through no fault of their own.”

Some Democrats have joined with Republicans in resisting the extension for long-term unemployed who are about to run out of benefits. More in Congress are now questioning billions in spending that would add to the huge budget deficit.

“It’s wrong to balance the budget on the backs of the unemployed,” said Bennet, who added he would welcome any suggestions for other parts of the budget to cut alongside the extension. “Unemployment insurance is one of the most stimulative things we can do for the economy.”

Jason Stallings, owner of DJs Cafe in northwest Denver, took the podium briefly to say he’s been frustrated in efforts to get small business loans. Lenders tightening up borrowing criteria too far are hindering business and slowing any recovery, he said.

Since it was loose lending and failing banks that caused at least some of the deep recession, reporters asked Bennet how lenders were supposed to balance prudent loans with calls for expanding the economy.

“The regulators, I believe, have swung too far in the opposite direction,” Bennet said. “We’re paying a very high price for that today.”

Glad to see Senator Bennet's leadership on yet another issue. The republicans want to add trillions more debt by extending tax cuts for the rich that were scheduled to expire precisely because the republicans and even President Bush knew at the time that if they went past ten years that they would hugely increase the national debt and in no way could ever pay for themselves. Those cuts if extended will be a burden on future generations and bankrupt the country.

The only thing that Bennet leads in is pandering. Now that Bennet has helped Obama create this mess how is going to fix it? Where are the funds going to come from? Are they going to cut something? Heaven forbid they do that. Are they going to take it out of the remaining Tarp slush funds? I get it, they are going to add it to the tab so our grandkids can pay for it.Next time Bennet wants to spend more money of our money can he tell us where it is coming from?

“Since it was loose lending and failing banks that caused at least some of the deep recession, reporters asked Bennet how lenders were supposed to balance prudent loans with calls for expanding the economy.”……You notice he NEVER answered reporters question. Dumb getting dumber. Please…vote this jerk out!

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.